


Shadow Wall

by lots_of_love825



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Dark Knight Questline (Final Fantasy XIV) Spoilers, Female Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood Spoilers, Hurt/Comfort, Minor Violence, Multi, Patch 4.5: A Requiem For Heroes Spoilers, Viera Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), no beta we just die
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2020-08-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:21:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25735732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lots_of_love825/pseuds/lots_of_love825
Summary: "But know that when you tire of this charade, I shall be here... waiting to take the reins... you need only ask..."--When the Warrior of Light finally has had enough of this nonsense, an old friend takes her place.
Relationships: Aymeric de Borel/Warrior of Light, Fray Myste/Warrior of Light
Comments: 4
Kudos: 27





	Shadow Wall

**Author's Note:**

> Featuring my Viera WoL Mila Dragic and me playing around with the dark knight lore.

With each person she cuts down, the more her soul is stained black, and the more numb her body becomes. But she must continue on, defeating each Garlean soldier that is foolish enough to throw themselves at her.

_Thancred’s body falling from the seat at the meeting._

Slash!

_Y’shtola and Urianger collapsing right in front of her in the Rising Stone._

Hack!

_Alphinaud being carried back in Gaius’s arms._

Stab!

_Alisaie reaching out to her, so, so close, face twisted in terror -_

_“Don’t you dare leave me alone-”_

She stabbed her sword into the ground and fell onto her knees. Her vision was blurry and her muscles burned, but it was better than the pain that seared her heart. Before she could push herself up to continue, she felt a warm embrace from behind.

“Why do you never listen to me, Mila?”

A familiar voice, a whisper in her heart. 

“Let me go, Fray.”

“And let you go on and get us killed? I know what you’re doing. Throwing yourself at problem after problem isn’t going to bring our friends back. With each person cut down by the Weapon of Light, the darker the stain in our heart grows. ‘Tis true that to walk this path is to suffer, to sacrifice, but how much can you bear before you break?”

The shadow pressed closer to her back. “I am here for you, Mila. I care for you. After all, who else knows you better than me? All the tears left unshed, your screams left unheard, your anger pent up… I know it all, and it pains me. Let me take control. Even if it’s only for a little bit. Let me bare your burdens so you can rest. And when you take the reins again, as you are bound to do, then you can go back to being the Weapon of Light.”

She was silent for a moment, closing her eyes. “Just don’t cause any trouble.” She finally spoke. The moment those words left her mouth, she felt suddenly very drowsy, as if she was sinking deeper and deeper into the abyss.

“Do not worry, my dear. I’ll take good care of you.” 

Aymeric was in a meeting with the other Eorzean leaders when one of his Ishgardian knights appeared.

“Pardon the interruption!” He saluted. “But I bring news regarding the Warrior of Light!”

“Mila?” That caught the attention of all the leaders. “Speak to us.”

“She was out in the battlefield, rerouting some of the Garlean soldiers when she was separated from other Alliance members. And when we found her again, well…”

An elezen donning the Temple Knights armor finally spotted the Viera, whose back was turned towards him, and rushed up to her. “Mistress Dragic! Thank you so much for your assistance! The others would like to know if-“ he let out a scream when her Greatsword was aimed at him.

“Why must you guys always bother me? Do this, do that - if you guys are that incompetent at your jobs, then you’re better off resigning.”

She lowered her weapon, and the elezen swore that he saw her eyes glow red, before the warrior scoffed and turned around to walk away. Shaken to his core, he quickly scurried away towards the camp.

“Glowing red eyes?” Aymeric brought his fist to his mouth, pondering the implication.

“That’s certainly not the way she’s usually acts too.” Merlwyb spoke out.

“This is similar to what has happened to Thancred, is it not? It was said that he pushed himself too hard in his work, and in that moment of weakness the Ascian Lahabrea took the opportunity to possess his body.” Kan-E pondered.

“And although it pains me to admit, Mila has been a constant presence here at Ghimlyt. I cannot imagine the burden this has been on her, especially after losing Alisaie to the mysterious illness as well as her battle with the Ascian possessing Zenos’s body.” Nanamo admitted shamefully. 

“The lass does have a bad habit of bottling everything inside her to not worry others.” Raubahn could recall the time after her first fight with Zenos at Rhalgar’s Reach - the guilt that consumed her for not being strong enough to defeat the Garlean and pushing herself to the brink of exhaustion just by training. His intervention wasn’t enough and he had to enlist the help of Alphinaud, who practically begged her to stop and take care of herself.

“Before we assume anything, however,” Aymeric spoke up again. “We need to see her for ourselves. Accusing her as being possessed by an Ascian isn’t something that should be taken lightly, given the strength that she holds.” In truth, no one wants to believe the implications - if an Ascian can indeed possess the body of their hero, a hero that can defeat primals and other Ascians alike, then who can stop them? What can they do to prevent them from destroying Eorzea?

Nanamo stayed behind, but the other leaders immediately headed out, each of them armed with the information that she was spotted leaving Ghimlyt as well as a few soldiers should the worse happen. They eventually caught up to her. “Mila!” Aymeric was the first to call out, causing the figure to stop. She stood there for a moment, as if debating what to do, before turning around. At first glance, there was nothing wrong with her, and her eyes were still the blue they are all familiar with.

“My friends, what seems to be the problem?” She smiled at them, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. 

“You.... you are not Mila, aren’t you?” Immediately the smile was wiped off their face and they sighed. 

“Why do you people always assume that I am not her?” They stepped closer to them. The soldiers behind the leaders tensed, but the warrior made no indication that they were going to draw their weapon. “But you are right that I’m not the Mila that you know. I am not the girl who wants to make this cruel, twisted world a better place, futile as it is. No, I am the Mila that she stores in her heart, the darkness that grows with each person she cuts down. You and yours are especially guilty of sending her out on life-threatening missions all in order to save your little cities. How many times must she get knocked down by Titan, blasted by Garuda, or burned by Ifrit before you guys find a way to solve the primal problems yourselves? Or would you rather continue to brush this to the side? ‘Oh it doesn’t matter too much, Mila can deal with it.’ We know that in the end, it is all your fault - your fault for intruding onto the beast tribe’s lands and forcing them to summon primals because of the pressure you put on them.”

They turned their glare onto Aymeric, causing him to flinch slightly. “And don’t think that because you care deeply for her, as she does for you, that you will remained unscathed. The Dragonsong War lasted for a thousand years all because you Ishgardians were blinded by your faith, too busy being stuck up to even care and think about why. Why are people abandoning your faith? You just branded them immediately as heretics and sentenced them to death! If you guys even bother reaching out, then maybe the war would’ve ended sooner! Maybe it would’ve ended without our intervention! Maybe, just maybe, we could’ve saved Haurchefant and Ysayle...” his breath got caught in his throat with the mention of those names. 

“To walk this path is to suffer and sacrifice. Death is something we are acquainted with, but that doesn’t make it easy! How many friends must you take from us before you’re satisfied?! Yet Mila - dear, foolish Mila - would rather bottle up everything instead, because as your Weapon of Light, she has to remain strong and unbroken for you to wield her. After all, a broken sword cannot fight, just as a broken shield cannot protect no matter how hard it tries.”

The shadow of Mila balled their hands to their sides. “All those negative, pent up emotions, just dying to be released, but she has to push onwards, because who will save Eorzea if she doesn’t? But I am here now so she can rest. I can scream all of our anger that she refused to scream! I can shed all of our tears she refused to shed! I can tell you and yours the words that she buried deep, deep within her heart! Because I am always with her, even in her darkest hour, even in the blackest night! There is no one else in this gods-forsaken world that I love more than her!”

Eventually, the shadow took a few steps away from them. They calmed down a bit, but their eyes were still bloodshot from all their tears shed. “I refuse to lie in wait and continue to watch her suffer so. After all, I’m really the only one who cares for her deeply. I do not treat her as a weapon to be wielded. But don’t worry, I’ll bring her back when I’m done. We can’t have Eorzea crumpling on us right?” They took more steps away from the leaders, back facing them. For a moment they paused, looking over their shoulders to them one last time. “If it wasn’t for Mila holding me back, then I would’ve ripped you all to shreds. Maybe with you all out of the way she’ll finally be in peace. Be grateful that she’ll be upset if I do, or else no one would’ve gotten out of here alive.” With that threat said, their body glowed in the familiar purple light and they teleported away.

The words still rang heavily in his ears even after making it back to camp. He knew being the Warrior of Light was a demanding job, both physically and mentally, but to think she was hurting so much that... whoever took over her body had to do so to give her a small moment of respite... 

He should’ve been more aware of how she was feeling. He should’ve been there for her in her time of need, especially now since all of her dearest, most treasured friends were ripped away from her with no cure yet in sight. He kept himself busy with work, organizing the Knights that are still on the field and back at home as well as looking over documents that needed his approval. Eventually, he didn’t know how long it took, but a Knight appeared in his tent. “Lord Commander, pardon the intrusion, but I just gotten word that the Warrior of Light has appeared once more!”

That caused both relief and uneasiness to fill his chest. “Thank you for informing me. Lead me to her.”

“At once, Ser. But, I should inform you that she’s actually heading this way.”

The knight was right. When he left his tent, he could see Mila trudging towards him. But is it Mila or the person who claims to be her? The figure finally looked up and at them, and the smirk that appeared on their face was distinctly NOT Mila. “Oh, don’t look at me so,” they spat out. “I told you that I’ll be back, and here we are.” They stopped right in front of the Lord Commander and closed their eyes. “Alright, Mila. I promised you that I’ll only be here temporary, so you can take the reins again.” Silence, but then the figure laughed. It wasn’t a mocking laugh, but a genuine one, like the ones you would hear from his Mila. “‘5 more minutes?’ You say? Oh, don’t tell me you are getting lazy, my dear,” they open their eyes again and gaze straight at Aymeric, although the next words that came out of their mouth wasn’t directly at him. “But if anyone deserves it, it is you. You can rest however much you like - there is no need to feel guilty about asking others to give you a break. Eorzea isn’t going to crumble in one day regardless of whatever people tell you. And when you are ready to hand over control again, know that I’ll always be there for you, my sunlit half.”

They closed their eyes again, and next thing he knew, Mila’s body was falling over. He caught her with ease but the sudden weight knocked him back a little. “Oh, what am I going to do with you?” He muttered mostly to himself, taking a moment to press his forehead against hers before shifting her so he can pick her up. His next destination: his tent, where he can lay her on his bed so she can continue resting. It’s like what her other self has said - she deserves it, and he doesn’t want to be the one to deny her when she seeks succor.

**Author's Note:**

> Can Fray take over the WoL body like that? Who knows, but I like the idea. Thank you for sticking around and reading my first FFXIV work!


End file.
